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Hanoi, 17 October 2016 – The Launching Workshop of Regional Training Network (RTN) for Scaling-up of Pro-poor value chains, funded by International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), is organised today, helping to establish a network of regional and national training provision units in Asia and the Pacific to support IFAD’s executing partners and other development partners in scaling up pro-poor value chain programmes. The launching workshop is organized from 1 7th – 20th October 2016.

As a part of a regional initiative funded by IFAD, the RTN network will focus on providing technical expertise and trainings required by drawing on a pool of technical centers that are well-positioned to support IFAD’s executing partners in developing and scaling up value chain programs as well as to provide evidence for multiple policy dialogues.

After an open Call for Expression of Interest is published in June 2016, a number of applications were received. More than 14 training provision organisations from 7 countries including Vietnam, Laos, Indonesia, Manama, China, Bangladesh and India are selected and invited to attend the Launching Workshop.

Throughout this 4 day workshop, it is expected that participants can have a better understanding of the overall vision of the programme;

exchange views on how the proposed network can best help its members to achieve the shared objectives reflected in the call for expression of interest, drawing on an operationally self-sustaining coalition of training institutes;

define the administrative foundations for the network (network’s mission, by-laws, and creation of a Board of Directors, Secretariat and RTN Capital Fund);

finalise a preliminary Action Plan for the first year of network establishment.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Tawfiq El-Zabri, Portfolio Manager of IFAD, emphasized that “there is a need from Governments to build up capacity of their staff to implement effectively their projects. This project with Regional Training Network is to response to the Government’s need”

The Regional Training Network for Scaling up of Pro-poor Value chain initiatives project, worth of two million USD and operational between 2016 and 2020, is jointly implemented by HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation and HIVOS with financial support from IFAD.